⭐ Advance Praise and Reviews ⭐

“In these letters, Pope Francis addresses the trials of our times with a pastoral wisdom that is at once challenging and comforting. The work illuminates the inner life of faith amid tribulation.”— America Magazine

“A compelling meditation on how moments of crisis can deepen the believer’s spiritual life. Francis encourages discernment, prayer, and active hope in the face of adversity.”—National Catholic Reporter

“Francis demonstrates that tribulation is not simply a hardship to endure but an opportunity for purification, reflection, and renewal of both individual and communal faith.”— Commonweal

“These reflections reveal the Pope’s characteristic combination of practical guidance and theological depth, offering a roadmap for navigating spiritual and moral challenges.”— La Civiltà Cattolica

“Against any temptation of confusion and defeatism, it is good to return to feel the paternal spirit of those who preceded us . . . . They teach us to choose consolation in moments of greatest desolation.”—Pope Francis

In 1987, Jorge Mario Bergoglio, an Argentinean Jesuit (now better known as Pope Francis), published a small collection of letters by Jesuit Superiors General from the eighteenth century—a time of grave suffering for the Society of Jesus as it faced suppression by the Vatican. These letters outline a spiritual path for the church as a whole in times of “confusion and tribulation,” focusing especially on the practice of discernment. Pope Francis has many times recommended this little volume, which also sheds light on his own manner of coping with divisive criticism.

Now, with the cooperation of Jesuit colleagues, Pope Francis has authorized this new edition of the letters, adding his own reflections on a contemporary situation of extraordinary tribulation for the people of God: the scandal of sexual abuse by priests. In these letters to the bishops and to the people of God in Chile, the pope offers some of his most profound reckoning with this scandal, while also offering a personal guide for the pilgrim church in a time of tribulation.

Pope Francis, a member of the Society of Jesus and the former Archbishop of Buenos Aires, was elected pope in 2013. Antonio Spadaro, S.J., an Italian Jesuit, is editor-in-chief of the Jesuit-affiliated journal La Civiltà Cattolica. Diego Fares, S.J., an Argentinean Jesuit, is a member of the editorial board of La Civiltà Cattolica.

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Click Here For The Table Of Contents

Click Here For The Book Preface